Why I want to become Judge

My life experiences have made me a little facet of every piece of society. These life events have given me the strength to confront obstacles and a weakness that helped me maintain a humble approach to life and work. These struggles have left me with a calm temperament, an open-mindedness, empathy, humility, discipline, and integrity, all of which, I believe, to be worthy qualities for a judge.

Overcoming Opression

Responsiblity

Coming, Working, and Succeeding in America

Principles

Experience, Diversity, and Personality

Given the oppressive nature of the Communist system and the Romanian school that I attended, I have acquired a temperament that is calm, courteous and one that respects ideas that I do not necessarily adhere to. This permits me to listen patiently, assess all opinions put forth and communicate with individuals of different personalities and in aggressive environments.

Beginning in childhood when I had to assume adult responsibilities, I devised a discipline that kept me balanced in life. School was the tool that gave me the structure necessary to control my progress. I studied and worked with meticulousness, improving on my weaknesses and adhering to a concise plan of action. This discipline was further developed while I was a solo practitioner, given that I had to balance motherhood and a prosperous, but demanding career. I believe that this discipline will help me manage the courtroom docket in an efficient manner.

My migration from Romania to the United States has taught me to be open-minded. I left a country that was culturally homogeneous, socialist and Communist, and embraced a culturally diverse, democratic and capitalist system. This transition led me to meet individuals from different sectors of society, with varying approaches to life. Whereas the Romanian system forced me to think linearly, my new life taught me to think outside the box. I learned to confront prejudice and even hidden biases, that substance rules over form, and those divergent perspectives can result in unique solutions. I believe that this approach is important in situations where complex cases linger, the parties reach an impasse and standard approaches do not yield an efficient result. My struggles to raise myself from poverty endowed me with the humility necessary to treat all participants with the innate respect and equal consideration each human being deserves.

Throughout my life, I was able to maintain my principles. Despite the fact that several circumstances arose where I could have chosen a path that was swifter or more beneficial, I opted to uphold my moral values. The experiences in Romania guided me towards honesty, fairness, and altruism.

It is this diversity that motivates me to pursue a judicial role. Given my life experiences, I am a little piece of various facets of society. As the first Romanian-American judge, I hope to not only make my culture proud but to be the voice of the immigrants. I believe that my role as a judge will permit me to demonstrate that perseverance and hard work will result in success for those who lack the courage to pursue a goal that seems distant, those who are inhibited by obstacles to gain courage to proceed forward, those who had no mentors to provide direction and those who doubt to make them believe that impossible is nothing.

Paid for and authorized by Ioana Salajanu for judge. A copy of the report is (or will be) filed with the state board of elections and available for review on the official government website, or for purchase from the state board of elections in Springfield, IL. All financial donations are reported and political donations are not tax deductible.